Metallic shoe toe protector



' Feb. 18, .1941.

S. CATANIA. METALLIC SHOE TOE PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 23; 1939 INVENTOR .541 V4 TOPE C4 T M/A4 ATTQRNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to metallic shoe toe protectors. It is particularly adapted to the type of protector which may be attached to the front of a shoe to cover the tip of the toe portion of the shoe, and which is attached to the exposed upper edge of the sole of the shoe.

An object of the invention is to provide a shoe protector made of a metal which can bend somewhat, so as to accommodate the protector to the shape of the particular shoe to which it is attached.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoe protector which is curved longitudinally as well as transversely to fit the front portion of the toe of the shoe.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a simple, strong, rugged and durable metallic shoe protector of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply to shoes of various sizes and shapes, which will add materially to the life of the shoe provided therewith, and which shall yet be practical and efiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the front portion of a shoe provided with a metallic shoe toe protector, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the improved metallic shoe toe protector, removed from the shoe.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a shoe, and l I a metallic shoe toe protector, embodying the invention, and applied to the toe portion I! of the shoe. The shoe l 0 has a bottom sole I4, from which the toe portion I2 projects. In the drawing, numeral l5 designates the upper exposed edge portion of the sole M, which extends outwardly from the toe.

The protector ll may be made of sheet metal and is preferably somewhat bendable, so that the shape thereof may be changed to accommodate shoes having toes of various sizes and shapes. The protector II is curved longitudinally, being almost substantially semi-circular in shape to accommodate the front portion of the toe of the shoe. The member I l is also curved transversely, being concave so that the lower edge I8 thereof may fit between the toe l2 and the sole l4, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. 5

The protector increases in width from opposite ends. toward the middle, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. At the outer ends of the protector H are a pair of outwardly extending flat, horizontal ears 20, extending from the lower edge I8 of member H and contacting the top exposed surface I5 of the sole l4. Each car 20 is formed with a pair of spaced through openings 2|, to receive nails or other fastening members 22, driven into the sole to attach the protector to the shoe.

It will be noted that when the shoe is discarded, the nails 22 may be removed so that the protectors may be applied to another pair of shoes.

It will be furthermore noted that the protectors u may be used for both a left shoe and a right shoe, because the same may be bent somewhat to accommodate both the left and right shoes. The metallic shoe or boot toe protectors may be used by children, farmers, workmen or other people whose shoes are subjected to rough use. The toe 25 protector adds materially to the life of the shoes to which it is applied.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In combination with a shoe having a sole and and. a toe portion, a protector for the toe portion of the shoe comprising a narrow elongated member adapted to fit the front of the toe portion of the shoe, said protector being made of sheet metal, the lower edge of said protector fitting between the toe of the shoe and the sole of the shoe, and being curved longitudinally to fit the toe, and transversely, said protector having a pair of flat, horizontal outwardly extending ears at the ends thereof contacting the top exposed portion of the sole of the shoe, said ears being formed with through openings receiving fastening means driven into the sole portion of the shoe, said protector increasing in height from the outer ends toward the middle.

SALVATORE CATANIA. 

